Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings could win the liking of Unai Emery and may be kept on by his new manager, according to the club's former striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Mings' hit-and-miss season

The Englishman has undoubtedly blown hot and cold so far this season, making some horrendous individual mistakes and playing his part in some poor form for Villa.

Mings was stripped of the captaincy by Steven Gerrard during the summer and has arguably struggled to respond, with his 6.54 WhoScored rating significantly lower than his 6.74 of last term, and he could now miss out on a place in England's World Cup squad.

He was impressive in Sunday's 3-1 win at home to Manchester United in the Premier League, though, making eight clearances and completing 90% of his passes, and he could now have a clean slate to excel under new boss Emery.

The Latest: Defender backed to stay

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie claimed that the Spaniard could take a shining to Mings and retain his services moving forward, amid reports in recent weeks casting doubts over the defender's Villa future.

The 62-year-old said:

"When a new manager comes in, everyone is on trial. That will be the case at Villa now.

"Players like Mings have from now until January to prove to Emery that they are worth being a part of his team. The players need to prove themselves in training over the next couple of weeks before the World Cup. It is as simple as that.

"Mings is a very good player but sometimes his concentration lets him down. He has not had the best time with managers either. That cannot have been good for him.

"Emery is a great manager. I think he might take a liking to Mings. It is a fresh start. It could be good for the boy."

The Verdict: Massive chance to shine

Mings' loss of form has undoubtedly been a concern, but this change of management offers the best possible chance for him to now prove his worth, having been hailed as 'outstanding' by Gabby Agbonlahor in the past.

In Emery, he is now playing under a manager who is famed for making his teams expertly drilled and hard to beat, and it could get the best out of the 29-year-old.

Bringing in a top-class centre-back partner for Mings could be exactly what is needed in January, with the Englishman arguably in need of another top-quality defender alongside him.